SEATTLE — It's the end of a decade, and 2019 brought both ups and downs for western Washington.
But what were some of the biggest moments of the year?
KING 5's Steve Bunin takes a look back at the good and the bad events of 2019:
Bye-aduct
In 2019, the Alaskan Way Viaduct along the Seattle waterfront was shut down in January and then demolished throughout the year.
The viaduct was deemed "seismically vulnerable." Demolishing it also opened up the waterfront.
During demolition, commuters had to adjust to different routes, congestion and more buses on already-crowded Seattle streets.
Final pieces of the viaduct were demolished in November.
Redevelopment plans for the 20 acres of open space are now out on the table. Seattle's Office of the Waterfront has laid out plans for the redesign, including new parks, concert space and a remodeled aquarium.
Seattle's Office of the Waterfront laid out plans for the next 3-4 years of redevelopment, estimated at nearly $750 million.
"Snowmageddon"
In mid-February, western Washington saw four snowstorms in eight days. Seattle was hit with more than 10 inches of snow, making it the snowiest February in over 50 years for the city of Seattle.
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) used at least 35 plows at any given time, which were "put into near-continuous 24-hour use for the duration of the storm."
In total, approximately 100 pieces of equipment were driven for thousands of miles and crews were deployed in 12-hours shifts in an effort to keep Seattle open, according to the city.
The city's response still wasn't perfect. Side streets and sidewalks went untreated for days.
King County has identified 70 new miles of roads to plow for future snowstorms.
"Seattle snow" was among the top 10 Google searches in the city this year.
Crane collapse tragedy
One of the biggest tragedies in the area was the crane collapse that happened on April 27 in South Lake Union.
Four people died and four more were injured. The victims included 19-year-old Sarah Wong, a freshman at Seattle Pacific University. Also killed were two ironworkers, Travis Corbet, 33, and Andrew Yoder, 31, who were disassembling the crane. The fourth victim was identified as 71-year-old Alan Justad, a long-time employee for the City of Seattle.
A months-long investigation determined that high winds and human error were to blame. Three companies involved in disassembling the crane have been fined more than $100,000 by the Department of Labor and Industries for several violations.
Boeing 737 fallout
Two deadly plane crashes that happened oceans away are having a huge impact in western Washington.
In 2019, Boeing grounded all 737 MAX jets following two deadly crashes in October (Indonesia) and March (Ethiopia). In total, 346 people were killed. The 737s were not grounded until after the March crash.
Investigators said Boeing's MCAS in-flight control system in the 737 Max jets lead to the deadly crashes. MCAS automatically pushed the noses of the doomed planes down in response to faulty readings from a sensor.
The company, based in Renton, announced it will temporarily halt production of the 737 Max in January as the fleet remains grounded. The company said no layoffs or furlough were expected at this time.
CEO Dennis Muilenburg was fired last week.
Health
Between January and March, a measles outbreak led to a statewide crisis. In the end, there were 73 confirmed cases, most of which were children in southwest Washington who were not vaccinated. Schools are still working on getting students compliant with the state's new vaccine laws.
In the fall, a complaint was filed against Seattle Children's Hospital claiming that the hospital "negligently maintained air-handling system could cause the transmission of Aspergillus mold into its premises," but failed to properly maintain the system.
The mold is linked to the deaths of six patients since 2001.
Politics
It was a big year for local players in national politics. Governor Jay Inslee and Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz ran for president. Both have dropped out of the 2020 race for the White House.
Mercer Island native Gordon Sondland became a household name across the country for his role in the impeachment trial of President Trump. Sondland said, “Everyone was in the loop. It was no secret.”
In Washington state, voters passed a controversial initiative (I-976) to cap car tabs at $30 this November. Right now, the car tab initiative is in the middle of a complicated legal battle to determine the constitutionality of the measure. It could take months for the case to go through the courts.
Sports
Edgar Martinez and Jack Sikma were finally inducted into the Baseball and Basketball Hall of Fame, respectively.
Megan Rapinoe became a global superstar (and Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year) for her record-setting performance at the World Cup and for her stance on civil rights. She was also named the FIFA Player of the Year.
The Seattle Sounders won their second MLS Cup, beating Toronto 3-1. This was the first time Seattle hosted the MLS Cup Final.
University of Washington Huskies football coach Chris Petersen suddenly resigned after a disappointing final season. Petersen was with UW for six years.
And Beast Mode is back! In the last week of the year, Marshawn Lynch signed back with the Seahawks for the remainder of the season. Former Seahawks running back Robert Turbin also re-signed with the team last week.
Entertainment
In entertainment, Maple Valley put itself on the map.
Maple Valley teen Benicio Bryant made the finals of America’s Got Talent, while fellow Valley resident Brandi Carlile cleaned up at the Grammys, nominated for six awards (including the three biggest – Album, Record, and Song of the Year), winning three Grammys.
Carlile was honored by the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) with the Founder's Award, their signature honor.
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